Dispatches (III): I Regret...

From "Wis. Law Enforcement Association 'Regrets' Endorsing Walker; Thousands Protest At Capitol," Channel 3000:
[Executive board president of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association] Tracy Fuller writes, "I am going to make an effort to speak for myself, and every member of the Wisconsin State Patrol when I say this ... I specifically regret the endorsement of the Wisconsin Trooper's Association for Gov. Scott Walker. I regret the governor's decision to 'endorse' the troopers and inspectors of the Wisconsin State Patrol. I regret being the recipient of any of the perceived benefits provided by the governor's anointing. ...
...I think everyone's job and career is just as significant as the others. Everyone's family is just as valuable as mine or any other persons, especially mine. Everyone's needs are just as valuable. We are all great people!!"

One interesting fact I have learned from this article: Capitol and University of Wisconsin police will not retain collective bargaining rights.

The state received $73.9 million in federal transit funding in 2010, including $22.5 million for the Milwaukee area and the $7.1 million for Madison, according to the memo.

About $27.3 million for the Milwaukee area likely would not be affected because Milwaukee County has a contract with a private corporation to run its transit services, the memo says.

But the remaining $46.6 million, including the funds for Madison, "could potentially be withheld" due to the governor's proposal, it says.

This is because:

...federal law requires continuation of collective bargaining rights on wages, pensions, working conditions and other conditions to get federal transit money, according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo.

The article observes "[t]he Walker administration did not respond to a phone call and e-mail." regarding this issue.

Empirical question of the day: who [which income decile] relies the most on city bus systems in Wisconsin?

Those looking for excellent news in the midst of a clearly-souring global economy can find it in Wisconsin.
I am pleased to report Federal appeals court upholds Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s restrictions on public unions

This caught my eye. From Chicago Tribune:
Walker says National Guard is prepared
MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker says the Wisconsin National Guard is prepared to respond wherever is necessary in the wake of his announcement that he wants to take away nearly all collective bargaining rights from state employees.

From the Wisconsin State Journal:
State officials say they will move forward with Wisconsin's controversial collective bargaining law, despite a judge's order barring its implementation -- and a threat of sanctions against anyone who violates it.
Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said he has a legal obligation to implement all laws that have been passed by the Legislature, signed by Gov.

And Walker (Still) Plans No-Bid Sales of Power Plants, the $7.5 million worth of damages to the Capitol building becomes $347,000 (maybe), and the expanding politicization of the civil service.
Economy-wide Impacts
From Wisconsin State Journal:
Gov.

Common sense won out twice in Wisconsin in the past two weeks. On September 11, Wisconsin Act 10 upheld in another federal court challenge.
A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed one of the lawsuits challenging Act 10, Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill in 2011 that eliminated most collective bargaining powers held by Wisconsin public unions.

From WisPolitics today:
Gov. Scott Walker says he may have to again consider laying off state employees if his collective bargaining law remains tied up in the courts for much more than the next week or two.

From USA Today:
By 3 p.m., tens of thousands of people crowded the Capitol Square. There is a big discrepancy in the crowd estimates compiled by Capitol Police and the Madison Police Department. Capitol Police estimated about 49,500 at 2 p.m. while Madison police said the crowd was about 85,000.
I thought this episode, recounted in The Milwaukee Sentinel Journal was emblematic: